Wednesday newspaper round-up: Flybe, tech start-ups, Andrew Tinkler

The immediate future of Flybe was secured on Tuesday night after ministers agreed a rescue deal with shareholders to keep Europe’s largest regional carrier flying. The package of measures includes a potential loan in the region of £100m and/or a possible short-term deferral of a £106m air passenger duty (APD) bill, plus a pledge to review taxes on domestic flights before the March budget. – Guardian

The government has been accused of failing to learn any lessons from the collapse of the outsourcing giant Carillion two years ago, when more than 3,000 jobs were lost and 450 public sector projects including hospitals, schools and prisons were plunged into crisis. The Unite union said it was shocking that the government was “proposing to do exactly nothing” to reform accounting rules to prevent a similar corporate disaster caused by “rampant bandit capitalism”. – Guardian

More than £10bn was ploughed into British technology start-ups for the first time last year as investment surged 44pc despite turmoil over Brexit. The amount of venture capital investment into British technology firms climbed to a record $13.2bn (£10.1bn) in 2019, while investment into start-ups in the US and China dropped by 20pc and 65pc respectively. – Telegraph

The former chief executive of Stobart Group has dumped his entire stake in the group that owns Southend airport, raising an estimated £21 million and ending his association with the business after a boardroom row. According to a regulatory filing yesterday, Andrew Tinkler, 56, disposed on Monday of his remaining 4.975 per cent stake in Stobart Group, which also owns Carlisle and Teesside airports and is involved in rail and other civil engineering projects. Mr Tinkler was one of the leading developers of the Stobart brand. – The Times

The poorest households are carrying a debt burden that threatens to overwhelm them in a financial shock, a leading think tank has warned. The aggregate picture on household debt has improved over the past decade, but analysis by the Resolution Foundation has found that problems are building among the poorest fifth. – The Times